Renault unveils new car for F1 season

Renault bosses are aiming to finish the 2004 Formula One season in the top three after unveiling their new car in Sicily on Thursday.

Reported by Indo-Asian News Service

Read Time: 2 mins

Palermo:

Renault bosses are aiming to finish the 2004 Formula One season in the top three after unveiling their new car in Sicily on Thursday.
The R24 was paraded through the streets of Palermo after impressing on its track debut in Barcelona last week.
After last season's impressive fourth place finish in the constructors' standings, Renault hope the R24 will help them challenge the dominance of the big three: Williams, McLaren and Ferrari.
Fernando Alonso put the R24 through its paces.
A lot is expected of the 22-year-old Spaniard in 2004, after he became the youngest driver to start a Grand Prix from Pole Position (at the Malaysian GP) and the youngest winner in Hungary.
It was the first victory for Renault since their return to motor racing proper in 2002.
For Alonso, the new car is just what the team need and already the R23 of last year has been consigned to history.
"The new car is always a new experience for the drivers, we practised in Barcelona with a very good result. The time? It's very difficult to know if it's good or not because the circuits change and thwe times change as well. But we are very optimisic, we have no problems at all with the new car and everything's going quite good at the moment," said Alonso.
Jarno Trulli was next to hit the streets of Palermo in the new car.
The 29-year-old Italian also had a respectable season in 2003, finishing eighth in the drivers' standings, and he is looking forward to a new challenge.
If Renault are to make an impact this season, they must take on McLaren and Williams, who are both looking to improve on their results of last year.
Then there is the small matter of Ferrari, who will be going for their sixth successive manufacturers title.
The teams lock horns for real at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 7. (AP)